If you are looking for an entry level professional camera, save up and buy an SLR. I have had this camera for a little over a month and am ready to throw it out the window.

AUTO FOCUS PROBLEMS
The thing can't take a picture that's in focus. At one to one, out of the 958 pictures I've taken, none of them are sharp. It simply can't do it. Many subjects it can't focus at all. Its impossible to judge from the tiny monitor the true sharpness of the photo. Its not uncommon to review a batch of photos on the computer and find that half of them are completely fuzzy.

The auto focus is also extremely slow. It can take several seconds for the camera find its mark.

MANUAL FOCUS IS A JOKE
The manual focus is awkward to use. Although, that's prety much irellevant because the camera's monitor does not have enough resolution to use it. Its been suggested to me that I try bracketing the focus. Except, the point of bracketing is not to be aimlessly wasting memory, hoping that one of the shots is good.

TIGHTEST APERATURE IS 8.7

I thought I could deal with this because most of the work I do is in moderate to low light. That was a mistake. This compounds the previously mentioned Auto Focus issues.

HIGH RESOLUTION
The difference from a 35mm film scan is astounding. Its amazing to pull up a 6X9 at 300 ppi with no noise or grain.

EASY TO USE
The camera is set up like the 35mm SLR I've used for years to and have found it easy to navigate. The buttons on the side can be touched accidentally causing some minor annoyance.

CONCLUSION
If you are a casual user, this camera may be just fine for you. The focusing issues become pronounced when you are trying to achieve a specific aestetic. Perfect focus may not be that important to you eighter, especially if you print mostly to 4x6 or 5x7. Looking at the other ratings, many people love this camera. However, the serious amateur or entry level proffesional should not waste their time and money on this camera.

I've had my Nikon 5700 for about nine months now. I started out with it as a complete novice, got shutter lucky, and found some beautiful shots in the camera. Over the past months I've moved from a completely automatic point-and-shoot snapper to all-manual settings. I've picked up some knowledge about the basics of photography along the way, and the ability to pop the card and see the results of a setting instantly really shortened the learning curve.

First and foremost, this camera takes absolutely beautiful photographs. Colors are bright and vibrant, and details are rendered beautifully even when printing at large sizes - you can get a 13x19" enlargement to print at about 140 dpi on an inkjet, resulting in a very "painterly" image somewhere between photograph and painting. I decided at the outset to shoot only in camera RAW mode, and so what I've gotten out of the camera is exactly what went in. If you need to re-touch in Photoshop, this is the ONLY way to do it. You can correct a surprising number of mistakes (white balance, exposure, brightness, contrast, saturation) in RAW prior to bashing the image to smithereens with Photoshop editing tools - they only work on processed, "rendered" images.

Downsides are well id'd in the reviews, but I think you can get around most of them. Battery consumption climbs closer and closer to the top of the list of negatives as you move from automated to manual operation. Tip: use manual focus. I've found that assigning manual focus to the function button on the top makes focusing easier than punching for the button on the lens barrel. There isn't anything you can do about slow memory card writes, and we're not likely to see any firmware updates to accept the faster WA cards out on the market.

I've added some filters and lenses to my rig. A good tripod is essential, and the AA battery pack, with a 15-minute charger, makes everything a lot more fun. Note that if you add Nikon lenses, you are permanently out of luck for filters - there are NO filters for the Nikon lenses and adapters that fit this camera. Luckily, there are very acceptable third-party lenses and adapters that will take UV and/or polarizing filters.

I'm no pro, don't even consider myself a photographer yet, but the folks who work with my wife don't know that. It's because of the pictures - they're gorgeous.

The more time and effort you invest in this camera, the more you'll get out of it.

been very disappointed with the camera. i've used to travel to 12 different countries and the pic quality is good but way too slow to capture any large files other than normal and zooms so slow that it is painful. but i am selling mine if you want to buy one.

I have been a Canon fan for years but a friend recommended the 5700. After only a few hundred pictures the flash stopped working and my friend said that he now has the same problem. I contacted Niknon and they said the problem was not covered under warrenty and I payed $170.00 for the repair. Hope it works for a while. I have now purchased a Canon 10D SLR and love the Canon. Do not buy the 5700!!

Wes Aven
gwaven@mindspring.com

I saved my nickels to buy a Nikon. What a mistake.. I did not believe the other reviews that detailed the poor focus performance of the Coolpix Nikon camara line what a mistake. Once I had purchased the camara I tried to contact Nikon for support what a mistake...
Save your money buy ANYTHING but a Nikon. It is a terrific dissapointment both for the camara and the support... If you have questions about its performance ask your cat, you will get better results....
I wonder, after 2 months how much I will get for it on eBay... No chance of Nikon support reading these reviews they have proved themselves unconcerned with customer focused quality.. Show them your concern by not buying Nikon....
The SONY digital camara actually focuses on things..
JUNK, JUNK, JUNK, JUNK, JUNK, JUNK... expensive JUNK...

I've had a number of cameras in the CoolPix line, and been mostly delighted with them. Unfortunately, my experience with the 5700 has been a debacle. As for many who purchased this camera, the flash on mine stopped functioning a few months after I bought it for more than $1,000 when this model was relatively new. This rendered the camera useless, disabling all but one shooting mode. And since the feedback was just a cryptic blinking red light and a code "SB" (defined nowhere in the manual or online), it took forever to determine I hadn't simply activated the wrong setting--this was a defect that required repair. I sent it in under warranty in the nick of time and got it back about a month later. It worked for maybe two more months and failed again. Same story. Now it's out of warranty with the same problem, and it looks as if I'd get no more on e-Bay than it would cost me to repair this lemon. (Not that I could sell it, even repaired, with a clear conscience.) TERRIBLY frustrating and costly experience with the camera I bought to record my young son's childhood--now he's in kindergarten, I've had to rely on pictures from others, and those years are never coming back. Avoid the 5700. Please Nikon, don't do this to us again!

My Coolpix 5700 now gets a "lens error" whenever it is switched on, and it won't operate at all, nor even switch off again until you remove the batteries. A quick google search reveals that this is a chronic problem with this and other Nikon models (the lens gearing in Nikon cameras is evidently quite fragile), so I don't know if it is worth trying to have it repaired. Additionally, the flash on this camera has never functioned (it never would pop up), although the camera always thinks that it needs the flash even in the brightest daylight, so it never takes any pictures at all (instead showing a cryptic "SB" error message when you press the shutter) unless the flash is first manually turned off. As a workaround, I have always kept it in one of the "user preset" modes in which the flash was disabled. I don't like to use the build-in flash anyway, so this was not a big deal for me, but the "lens error" is evidently fatal. I now see many other user comments online about these same problems, and about Nikon's unresponsiveness on the issues. Some of these cameras have died after just a few weeks, so I guess I beat the odds by getting two years of moderately heavy use out of mine. As my CoolPix 990 also died after just two years, I don't think I will ever buy another Nikon.

I had a Coolpix 5700 for a little over a year and was very satisfied with the pictures it takes. I would advice owners to definitely read the manual. You should also get an external flash. This will do wonders for your pictures in low light settings. I only sold my camera because I purchased a Canon dSLR. The Nikon's zoom capability, quality pictures, and many manual functions are excellent, but you must read the manual to take advantage of the camera.

If your seriously considering one of the pieces of junk, then please go here 1st - http://vowe.net/archives/002211.html

This will explain how many many people are a tad disgruntled at Nikon and this know problem. The fact that after a few months the camera will simply refuse to operate with a flash, internal OR external.

Do yourselves a favor and buy another brand. The camera is shoddy and the customer support at Nikon is non-existant!

Used the camera for abt 2 years, without any problem, was very happy..
and suddenly there was no picture/image shown in the lcd or the view finder.. like the lense cap is on or something,, while the camera is on.. it just shows the menu settings. but does not show any image.
someone told me , i might have tried to take the battery out while keeping the camera in "ON" position.. this might damage the circuit..
I cant believe it, i mean so many people can do that either un-knowingly or just by mistake or in a hurry/rush ..

if this is a real cause of the problem i am having , then this is utterly riduculous.. and i cant expect this from a company like nikon.. i waited for almost 2 years to buy a good camera, and when i finally had money i bought this one ..

Have had this camera for one year, now when I try to power it on I get 'LENS ERROR' and the lens does not move. Apparently this is a very widespread and known problem that Nikon continues to charge $300 a pop to fix.

I bought this camera after reading a very positive review in a major "consumer" based magazine. 8 months later the image chip went defective. Just as the same "consumer" magazine reported in a later issue. Nikon fixed this for "free", they would not pay for the incoming shipping ($30).

Now 4 months later the flash does not work, the ISO settings do not change, the auto-focus is a no-go.

What a piece of junk! Nikon won't pay for these problems either!

DO NOT buy! Get the D50 or Rebel XT instead.

I purchased the E5700 back when its cost was around $975. It was money well spent. My amateur and semi-pro photography career has spanned three decades, so I've seen some good and many bad cameras over the years. The CP5700 is one of the best, IMO.
This was my first digital camera -- moving from a 35mm SLR (Canon A-1) to a pro-sumer digi. Although a bit smaller than the A-1, the CoolPix 5700 still feels pretty substantial in my hands. The feature set allows for full auto (Aperture, Shutter, Program) and full manual shooting. I also love the fact that I can carry ONE camera and take color OR B&W photos. The BEST thing about the Nikon 5700 is the screen. While it is not nearly as large as some newer models, it is the most versatile I've ever encountered. The screeen swivels in ALL directions -- making it possible to compose photos from ANY angle. In fact, I use it frequently to take overhead and on-the-ground pics. AWESOME!
Add an SB flash, or a battery pack and you're ready for pro-shooting. I would advise one thing though -- *IF* you can't find the 5700 for under $525, I would suggest stepping up to the CoolPix 8700 (same camera, but 8MP) for a little more $$$.

BTW, one problem often seen on the 5700 is the scrambled screen. Nikon will repair and clean the camera FREE of charge if that is the problem. I had mine done recently -- 8 days total turnaround. Lastly, the lens error most people experience is their own fault. They put the camera in a camera bag that's too small or turn it on in a confined space -- thus messing up the lens motor. In almost four yrs of owning the 5700, I have had ONE lens error message -- and it was 100% MY fault.

I have had my Coolpix 5700 for several years and rarely go anywhere without it. It takes great pictures unless there is low light. It is impossible to get decent shots in the late evening or in the house. The controls are pretty complicated, but I leave almost everything on auto and this works most of the time. It is a very tough camera and has taken a LOT of abuse from me (including being dropped on bricks from a few feet up). I love my camera but it is not for the casual user.

Buy 2 batteries! Always keep one on the charger and you will be thankful.

I bought this camera after many years of owning a Nikon FM-2.
This camera and those like it fill a gap for those who do not want to invest in a Digital SLR system. Yet have some control over the camera.

If you can get by with 5 Megapixles this is a good camera.

If you can, buy the filter set and the adapter because it not only protects the lens but also protects the zoom mechanism.

Buy or find the MB-E5700 battery pack which letts you use 6 AA Lithium batteries or rechargables. This gives you the best power option. (Turn off the continuous Autofocus and you will save power galore!)

No serious photographer uses on camera flash. You can turn off the flash on the camera and get a Speedlight.

The camera takes a while to master if you want to use all the features.
The metering for exposures is near perfect. The problems in low light can be overcome with some simple steps.

Set the focus on infinity for long distances shots.

Use the focus lock to lock onto something with contrast in low light situations. This is the camera's Achilles heel.

The Camera in not a pro camera and will take time to shoot download hi-res photos to memory.

I have been very pleased with camera and the results. I would like to have a Nikon D200 but do not want to spend that much.

I've owned this camera since it first came out in 2003, and since I'm not a qualified camera "expert", I want to give you my thoughts on this camera. I'm giving this review as someone who is relatively new to digital "point-and-shoot" photography...

First and foremost, study the Nikon manual. Then study it some more. The controls are overwhelming at times, provided you are a neo-phyte like myself.

Second, for exterior photography on the normal setting, this camera cannot be beat! It is exceptional. The images are clear, clean, and colors are spectacular. I've photographed NASCAR at the California Speedway, and other events like the Coronado Speed Festival, etc., and the outdoor shots look great. Now for the indoor-shooting...

This is where the camera gets its two star rating from me. I do not know how to select the manual control on-the-fly. I've tried to set up controls to shoot indoor photography, but I don't have weeks and weeks to learn the settings. I've photographed people who are standing completely still, slightly moving (my kids), low lighting conditions, fair lighting conditions, and still cannot get proper images to come out.

The indoor photography is pitiful, as the colors are yellowish, muted, and nearly 90% of the time, the images are all blurred. The pop-up light is only good for 5-8 feet at best. I took some special shots of people who were stationary, and it appeared that the photo looked "good" when zooming in and out with the control. When I downloaded the CF card to my PC, the images were always blurred and the colors were way off.

Mind you, I'm not a camera professional like many of the reviewers here, but rather I'm just an average "Joe" who would like to have decent indoor pictures that looked natural and were not blurred.

I would sell this thing on Ebay if I could get more than a few hundred dollars for it, but I've already invested over $1,200 for the snap-on lens adaptors and protective lens cover which keeps the retractable lens from getting damaged. I bought this from a company in Canada back in 2003.

All in all I'm happy with the exterior photos, but am very, very, disappointed with indoor pictures. I guess this thing requires a lot of tweaking, and many, many hours of studying the little manual that Nikon has provided.

I would stay away from this and save your money for the newer Digital SLR's. I've had this for over four years now, and just wanted to write a review based on my experiences with this camera.

Just a thought...

I too fell into the "if it is Nikon" trap. Afer reading many reviews on the camera, I purchased two as my first step into digital photography. One for my wife and one for myself. We probalby have less than 1000 pictures on both combined. My wife's has been sent in for repairs twice for the zoom lens not working. I got mine out this morning to take a picture and the view finder and screen are both blank. I'm not even going to wast 10 bucks to ship it back again for repair. I still have several months left on the extended warrenty but it just not worth the effort.

And... everything about taking extremely long time to focus is true. This is the deciding reason for not having it fixed. Even when it is working, it is a very aggrevating camera. The number of good shots you miss while it tries to focus is unbelievable.

Both of my Coolpix 5700 were pieces of junk. It was a very expensive lesson about Nikon quality. With two cameras, additional lenses, battery packs, 1G memory disks, and extended warrenties, about 3K total.

Since I've only owned two Nikons, I can truthfully say when the topic comes up, "Every Nikon I owned was a piece of junk. I'll never buy another one.".

The 5 Megapixel Nikon 5700 has been around a while, and people continue to love it and hate it. The optics are why you buy Nikon, and this is one sharp lens. It's complicated to operate if you want to do manual settings (M, A, S), but the Program mode will suffice for most people. It will shoot in RAW mode, unusual for a consumer camera. That gives you a lot of flexibility in adjusting the image. If you're not willing to read the manual though, this may not be the camera for you. Sort of like driving a manual transmission, it's so easy once you know how but you have to give it the effort to practice.

Nikon supports this camera with repair if you have problems, flat rate is reasonable (go to Nikon USA direct, dealers mark up). One common problem is the CCD failing, due to a Sony image sensor that a lot of camera makers used. Free repairs in about 2 weeks, but it's annoying. After that fix, this is a solid camera. I like mine, and shoot a lot of quick shots with it.

I find the camera to be of excellent quality. It will serve my need for many years. The only problems: Installation disc is CDI...will not run on my computer. Had to select programs from Nikon to download and don't get all the functions I want. The memory card is old technology and the 10 megs they supply is a joke. I've ordered a 2 gig card so I can take more than 6 pictures at once.